Corn
About Corn
Corn was first domesticated by the native populations in the central America's thousands of years ago. During the era of European exploration, explorers began shipping corn back to the European continent. As corn entered into the global trade routes, it quickly became a global crop. Corn is a prolific crop growing in many different climates. It is also a starch-rich food providing sustenance for people as well as livestock.
Corn is a self-pollinating plant. The tassels on the top of the corn plant contain male reproductive cells and the nodules found on the stalk contain female reproductive cells. Wind is the primary pollinator of corn which often leads to cross pollination. Corn can also self-pollinate.
Corn is planted in rows in the late spring after the last frost and is often harvested in early to midfall. It takes corn around 60-100 days to reach maturity for harvest with stalks of some corn plants reaching ten feet or more in height.
Dent or Field Corn
Dent corn gets its name from the dents on the kernels. Most dent corn is used for animal feed or for processed corn-based foods like corn syrup, breakfast cereals, grits, and tortillas. Dent corn is also turned into corn oil, lubricating oils and gels, fuel for machinery, and even plastic.
Sweet Corn
This is the type of corn that is found at a summer picnic. As the name implies, this type of corn is sweeter than other forms of corn and has a thinner outer membrane which makes it easy for the human digestive system to process unlike other corn varieties.
Popcorn
Popcorn has a harder outer membrane than sweet corn or dent corn. Popcorn kernels are dried so that there is little moisture in the kernel. When heated, the inner portions of the kernel steams and then pops the outer shell around itself.
Flint Corn
Flint corn has a hard-outer shell and is very colorful. In America, this type of corn is usually used as decoration during the fall. In other countries, flint corn is ground down and processed into food products like grits, masa, flour, corn meal, and other products.
Flour Corn
Flour corn has a soft starchy inner portion or endosperm. It is used to make corn flour and cornstarch.
Pod Corn
Pod corn is a mutation of the different varieties of corn. Instead of growing a husk around the whole cob it grows a husk around each kernel. This type of corn is often used for decoration.
Waxy Corn
Waxy corn is unique as it is very high in amylose starch. This kind of starch can be used as a thickener, food additive, or even glue. The glue that is licked on an envelope comes from this type of corn.
Fun Facts
- Maize or corn is a grass and not a vegetable.
- The Corn Refiners Association did a study and found corn in over 4,000 products.
- New York is the second leading state in corn silage.